Going it Alone

Never underestimate what a simple act of kindness will do for another person.

After years and years of honing in myself a survival instinct that has manifested itself in my now innate ability to handle most things by myself, I don’t need much. After many years of doubt in myself, and consuming mass quantities of mind-altering substances to numb that doubt, I finally have faith in myself. On a given day, to varying degrees, I’m generally good at keepin’ on with the keepin’ on.

Yet I do have stretches where I get lonely. I grow tired of having to constantly remind myself that feelings of personal isolation and having to “go it alone” shall pass and I’ll be up again in no time. I know I will. But that sometimes brief, sometimes lingering moment of isolation can be a tough row to hoe. Often it compels me to go to the gym again (I haven’t been on this rigorous of an exercise schedule in my entire life). Sometimes I plunge neck-deep in a book to forget about it.  But it’s always there. Like I said, sometimes it’s fleeting and sometimes it sticks around for awhile like that annoying kid down the street that won’t go away and just let the cool kids have their fun. I know. I was that annoying kid.

I know you’re thinking “Okay, so why should I care? what does this have to do with me?” I’ll tell you if you would just let me finish, Jeez. Last night, I received a simple 7-word text message that let me know that someone was thinking about me. That’s it. With those 7 complimentary words, the feelings of Isolation and loneliness washed away from me like a bad case of fleas. All at once, I was back on my game.

So my message for you today  (yes, that’s right, You there still in your pajamas, I see you) is this:

That text/email/PM you’ve been meaning to send but haven’t? Do it today. Or send one to somebody you haven’t even thought of for awhile. You might make their day/week/month/year. But one thing I can almost assure you is that you will feel like a million bucks. Well, at least a couple hundred and change.